Christmas morning fire destroys Crossville, Ill., home

A Crossville, Ill., couple lost their home to fire early Christmas morning. The home of Bob Lucas at 311 Cross St. caught fire shortly after 6 a.m.

Lucas and his wife escaped the burning structure safely.

"The fire appears to have been electrical in nature," said Crossville Fire Chief Bobby Grider. "We believe it started on the back porch along an extension cord that had been run to a heat lamp or some other type of light fixture. The house is still standing, but is uninhabitable."

Crossville firefighters immediately called for assistance from neighboring fire departments in Grayville and Carmi.

Not long after firemen started battling the blaze, one of the town's eight-inch water mains ruptured, causing a sharp drop in water pressure.

"That's when we called in tankers from everywhere around," Grider said. "Tankers from Little Wabash in Grayville, Norris City, Carmi, Enfield, Griffin, Ind., ... sent tankers to haul water to the scene."

Lucas is a former Crossville police officer, having served 17 years on the force. The Lucases lost all of their belongings in the fire and are staying with a neighbor until other housing arrangements can be made. No one was injured battling the blaze.

Meanwhile, workers with the Crossville Water Department spent most of Christmas morning repairing the ruptured water main.